


Amazing Grace

by Anayaah1611



Category: Bleach
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-09-08 03:12:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8828197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anayaah1611/pseuds/Anayaah1611
Summary: "Are you too pretty for a male," the saffron haired boy said, playing with the sheath of his sword. "Or am I just seeing things?""Definitely just seeing things." The dark haired girl in the guise of a boy replied, biting her lip for the hundredth time to keep her secret hidden. IchiRuki medieval AU. R&R!





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> So, this is my first time writing a fic for the Bleach franchise and I am very well aware of the extent to which it has risen. And boy am I scared!
> 
> Also, like many of you, I am an IchiRuki fan and was disappointed at the end of the manga and so, I came up with this AU. Sorry IchiHime fans!
> 
> Let me tell you, it won't be just a plain and sappy romantic story, since you know, Samurais and all.
> 
> Anyway, I don't want to keep blabbering!
> 
> Thank you for giving me your time and I sincerely hope you don't regret it by the end! Looking forward to your reviews!

**PROLOGUE**

_Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,_

_That saved a wretch like me._

The beautfiul words blew the man away like wind on the first morning of spring, gently kissing him in places he did not know could be kissed.

_I once was lost, but now I am found,_

_Was blind, but now I see._

The melody of the song soothed his aching heart,the feeling reminding him of someone wrapping a warm blanket around his body on a cold winter night.

It was as if the breathtaking tune was drawing him towards it, to marvel at the beauty of the one who intoned this sweet melody.

His over strained body however, failed to cooperate, falling on the soft bed that the long blades of grass had created.

The man looked up one last time, his blurry eyes catching a glimpse of someone walking towards him, before he fell into a deep sleep.

_**Chapter One : His destiny** _

This situation is terrible, the man thought while continuing his journey forwards. It had been a good four months since he had departed from home, in order to protect his twin younger sisters and his father.

The times sure are bad.

He had no idea how long he had been walking, his stock of water and food, exhausted quite a while ago. Having had crossed three town on his way to his destination by foot was painful, more so due to his lack of money.

His name was Kurosaki Ichigo, the eldest and only son of his household, the one who carried all the responsibilities, given the fact that for most of his life, he'd seen his father clowning around.

His mother had passed away many years ago, when he was but a child, teaching him how cruel life could be.

To him, his two sisters were everything and for them, he would live. So when five samurais barged into his house, breaking down the door that they had newly put up, Ichigo did the first thing he thought right.

Protect his sisters.

The men, however, had an order issued by the daimyo who ruled over the village, to take all the capable men from unranked households and declare them samurais. Ofcourse, Ichigo had no interest in being one and so, he had adamantly refused, until he was informed that the only other alternative was to sell the rest of his family as slaves.

And there was no way he would do that.

So with a tearful goodbye, he departed from his house, heading with the rest of the men to some place they were told their abilities would be put to test.

The test, as they had called it, was really more of a survival game. Ten people had to fight to death for one bag of food and the one who emerges successful would be fit to carry the name of a samurai.

So much murder, so much bloodshed over nothing but a bag of food. Ichigo desperately fought to defend himself and not harm anyone, but he soon realised that it wouldn't work.

And to kill someone for him, being the son of the village doctor, was more painful than death.

Having emerged successful, the remaining men were sent to the daimyo, who assigned each of them a noble house to work for.

Sent off with nothing but a scroll and food supplies for a week, the men marched on, many to their inevitable death.

Ichigo sighed, tugging on his straw hat, the scorching heat burning his skin. How long had it been since he last rested? He didn't know. He pulled the tiny bag he had on his back, the extra clothes in them, his only possession.

It was now the fourth hour of the evening and Ichigo had seemed to have lost his way. Out of thirst and hunger, he had wandered into a forest, in hopes of finding something to quieten his wailing stomach.

He leaned on a tall tree, his back resting on the trunk, his eyes squeezed shut. How much longer could he hold himself together?

I'll just sleep here for a while, he thought sitting down on ground that was comparatively cooler thanks to the tree's shade.

He was just about to close his eyes, when he could hear a sound.

**Drip drip.**

Ichigo's eyes widened in realisation and he bent downwards, putting his ear on the ground beneath him.

**Drip Drip.**

Water!

Ichigo convinced himself that it was only at a short distance and that the minute water went down his parched throat, he would stop to rest.

So he picked up his bag and taking support of the tree trunks, he kept moving forwards, his back bending under the exhaustion that his travel had caused him.

He was feeling somewhat dizzy, but then again, he was dehydrated too.

The forest was full of eerie sounds, every branch cracking under his feet, leading to an unbearable silence.

To the man, or at least that's how he looked, this whole scenario was like in the stories his mother had read to him as a child.

In most of them, the main character ended up facing off with a giant wild animal, something which the boy was fairly certain of, would lead him to his death. He could not move a finger, let alone fight for himself.

After walking for a distance, however, the sounds ceased and instead, he could hear soft humming. It was natural, you'd think, absolutely natural to hear humming in the middle of a forest, but this was different. Mainly because it wasn't the sound of an unknown creature in the stillness of the night.

It was the voice of a woman.

Ichigo blinked his eyes rapidly to keep them from closing, thirst making his mind fuzzy.

And then, he heard it.

_Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,_

_That saved a wretch like me._

The beautfiul music blew the man away like wind on the first morning of spring, gently kissing him in places he did not know could be kissed. The fragrance of sandalwood filled the air as the trees danced in harmony, their rustling leaves, in a way providing accompanyment to the woman's beautiful words.

He walked on ahead, seeing a hazy figure standing by the large lake that shone in the moonlight.

_I once was lost, but now I am found,_

_Was blind, but now I see._

The melody of the song soothed his aching heart,the feeling reminding him of someone wrapping a warm blanket around his body on a cold winter night.

It was as if the breathtaking tune was drawing him towards it,like a siren's call, to marvel at the beauty of the one who intoned this sweet melody.

He staggered, yet moved two steps ahead, finally escaping the forest that was shrouded in darkness.

He wanted to see her, just one glimpse of the person that chanted this mermaid's song.

His over strained body however, failed to cooperate, falling on the soft bed that the long blades of grass had created.

The man looked up one last time, his blurry eyes catching a glimpse of someone walking towards him, before he fell into a deep sleep.

In that state of delirium, he dreamed of a soothing voice, holding him and reciting the words:

_Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,_

_That saved a wretch like me._

_I once was lost, but now I am found,_

_Was blind, but now I see._

_T'was grace that taught my heart to fear,_

_And grace my fears relieved._

_How precious did that grace appear,_

_The hour I first belived._

And in the dream he saw nothing but a blur, the face of a person holding him covered, all except one thing.

Over the right shoulder was a black mark, a gash that looked rather painful. He reached out towards her, only to see her disappear.

He screamed out, called to her, asking for her name.

And all she did was smile at him and silently walk away.

Ichigo woke up with a start, his hat falling on the ground. He looked around to notice that he was sitting, his back against a tree and a vast body of shining water in front of him.

Birds chirped all around him and the shade that the large tree provided, protecting him from the ferocious Sun.

He groaned, feeling his jaw that seemed to throb for some reason. He put his hand on the ground to support himself, however, in doing so, his hand hit something else.

He looked to his side, in question and carefully lifted his hand up.

There, on a few folded leaves, rested four giant fruits that seemed freshly picked.

He lifted one up, raising it to his mouth and taking a bite out of it.

As the sweet taste and smooth texture of a peach hit his tongue, he seemed to recollect what had happened .

It wasn't a dream, he had really seen a woman there last night.

Ichigo stood up, hoisting himself off the ground, putting the rest of the fruits in his bag to move on.

He was now rejuvenated and could pull through for a while longer.

He didn't get to see the woman who had helped him though.

Really a shame, in his opinion.

He collected water in his tiny bottle and crossed the lake,walking through the only path he saw ahead.

And when he stood there, by the giant gate in front of him, there was one thing he came to realise.

There was no need for him to go any further.

There, before his eyes was a magnificent mansion, it's intricate structure putting the famous Nikkō- Toshugu shrine to shame.

He had reached his destination.

Ichigo heaved a sigh of relief, his saffron coloured hair blowing softly in the wind as he walked past the sign that read,

_**"KUCHIKI CLAN"** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I really hope you liked it and I didn't disappoint you! Looking forward to your comments in the reviews! I love y'all!


	2. Her fate

_"Rukia," a gentle voice said, pulling the little girl closer to her. She looked up at the woman, her large onyx eyes reflecting the respect and love that she felt for the older woman._

_"Do you want to hear a story? "_

_The little girl nodded furiously, eliciting a chuckle from the dark haired woman._

_"A long time ago, a man in a foreign land was forced into slavery," she started, rocking the child on her lap back and forth._

_"Having no other choice, the man had to follow through it, for he was poor. He went through a lot of hardships, and without question, even nearly died on some occasions."_

_Rukia was mortified._

_"But," the woman said, holding the little child's hand, realising how scared she looked. "On one such occasion, when he was sure he was going to die, in desperation, he called out to God, asking Him to save him."_

_"So was he saved?" Rukia asked, hoping she was right. She didn't want anyone to die._

_"Yes, he was. He felt as though the heavens had heard him and that's where his faith was born. He continued on to teach the love of the Gods to people, and in all his teachings,a song stood out."_

_Rukia sighed. Thank God he was saved._

_"Do you want to hear that song?" The woman said, while combing the little girl's hair. Rukia nodded, enjoying her private time with the woman. Nobody else was allowed in whenever she was here and maybe, Rukia liked it that way._

_Her hair all ready and done, she turned around to face the woman, a large grin on her face. The woman smiled, raising her head and closing her eyes, her mouth opening slightly to let words flow out._

**BAM!**

Rukia's eyes snapped open. She raised her head from the table it lay on, her feet folded in seiza position on the tatami matted floor.

Scrolls fell off the table, creating an enormous amount of noise, waking her up from her little nap. She groaned, rubbing her eyes.

She had skipped sleep for many days; work had been piling up for her.

Hoisting herself off the floor,she slipped out of her loose white yukata, into a black kimono.

Rukia stood in front of the mirror, looking at her tired form.

Just when she was about to resume her work, a light knock was heard on the door.

 _At this_ _hour of the morning ?_

"Come in." she said, lifting the scrolls and putting them in their previous positions.

The door slid open, and in came a man, long silver hair flowing down his back, highlighting his sharp and elegant features.

"Commander Ukitake," she said, without even looking up. The man, bowed ever so slightly, that if Rukia hadn't known him for all this while, she wouldn't even have noticed it.

She had seen him as the commander of a squad, leading samurais into battle with unimaginably skillful planning. However, after being affected by a chronic disease, his body had become weak, his power now down by a good half. So having retired from his position, he was now a guide to young newbies. His contribution to their family, however was never forgotten, his tittle remaining, "The Valient".

"What brings you here?" She asked, dipping her pen in the ink, continuing to sign some important documents.

"The board of ministers demand your presence." He said, looking down at her with pitiful eyes.

He had always felt very sorry for the child, who was forced to do something that no one would should ever have had to. Her secret was known to very few, her entire reality being a lie.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she put her hair into a bun, covering every part of her body that would declare her a woman.

For in the eyes of the world, she was a man.

She stepped out of the door, turning around to look at the former commander, who stood lost in his thoughts.

"What's the matter?" She asked, or more appropriately, **he** asked.

"Let's get going."

* * *

Ukitake stood by the door, watching Rukia, or the 'Young Lord' as she was called, deal with family business.

Having to shoulder so many responsibilities at that young an age was no easy job and the reason she had to keep her gender a secret just annoyed him all the more. He had always hated the elders because of that.

"Young Lord, request for more recruits has arrived from our base in the East." One of the ministers said, looking at the young heir of the family with judgemental eyes. Everyone disliked the fact that a young person was the head of such a renowned family.

"Then prepare to dispatch a quadrant," she said, modifying her voice to make it sound more convincing, looking up at the minister from the scroll she had in her hand.

"But we'll then have a shortage of our own soldiers. That would make our headquarters vulnerable." Another challenged, outright snickering.

 _What decisions could a_ _child make?_

 _"_ You needn't worry about that," she said, standing up, considering the conversation over.

"I will request one of our allies, the Daimyo of the Northern villages to send me his best men Protecting the family is my duty, after all. "

She walked out, the long sleeve of her kimono disappearing through the door.

"They only called you here to waste your time." Ukitake mumbled.

Didn't she already have enough of her own problems to deal with?

Rukia looked up at the taller man, her lips curving into a smile. He had always been like a father figure to her, also being one of the few people who knew she was no man.

And he worried about her in all situations.

"Stop it." She said, her voice regaining it's normal tone, something she always had to mask in front of other people.

"I cannot shirk my work."

"It shouldn't even **be** your work in the first place." He said under his breath.

Rukia was born of the second wife of the head of the family, who had died soon after, accompanying her mother and why she was treated specially, everybody knew. When Rukia was to be born, the shrine maiden's had received an Oracle that said,

"The child born on the first night of spring will be the next successor."

When Rukia was born, however, she was a girl and a female heading a family was unheard of. So, the elders that knew and a midwife who had helped deliver the child, kept their finding a secret, announcing her a male. And the child was brought up like a male, her only respite being him and another female caretaker whom she had loved very much.

"Not this conversation again.." Rukia said, sighing. He sure liked to bring up old issues!

"I'm right, aren't I?" He said, stopping their journey to the inner palace, where only high ranking officials and members of the nobility were allowed.

"The next head should have been-" Ukitake stopped midway after looking at the person in front of him. Rukia followed his gaze, only to share the same expression of surprise.

Raven locks flowing down his back, a stoic expression and an elegant posture.

"Lord brother.." she whispered softly. He looked down at her, his penetrating gaze nearly shattering her confidence.

"Byakuya.." Ukitake said, pulling his trailing kimono to the front unconsciously, a habit that meant surprise, Rukia had noted.

He didn't say a word, simple walked past them, almost as if they were nothing but air.

Rukia shut her eyes and bent her head downwards in agony. He has always hated her though she didn't understand why, avoiding any conversation or even contact with her unless very very necessary. He was a brilliant general and warrior, something Rukia was very proud of.

And he was her elder brother.

"Rukia..." Ukitake said, noticing her pain filled expression. She simply shook her head and continued walking,with him following suit.

She had no time to worry about silly things.

* * *

By nigtfall, Rukia concluded her work, the last documents placed neatly on her table to dry. She got up from her position on the floor, heading over to her closet. Rukia fished for something inside it and having found it, pulled it out.

In her hand was a beautiful kimono, unlike her usual ones.

Mainly because this one was not for men, but for women.

Woven from Japanese silk by the best weavers in the country, was a violet flowing robe, it's entire body filled with beautiful flowers. The waist belt was satin-like, a shimmery white in colour. Rukia donned the kimono and raising a hand to her head,pulled the clip of her hair. It was given to her by someone she had loved very much.

Dark black strands cascaded down her back, some stopping at her neck and some reaching further down. Thin,delicate sandals lined her feet that were custom made to keep her small feet from making too much noise. The kimono hugged her body in all the right places, revealing her hidden beautiful feminine figure.

She heard a knock, and went to the door, pulling it open. She had no need to worry,because till today, there had only been one person who came to her room at that hour, and for a valid reason too.

Ukitake looked down at her. No matter how many times he had seen her like that, he had never failed to admire her beauty. From the eyes of any man,he was certain she was one of the most beautiful women, if not the most beautiful. But he was biased, he knew, after all, he loved her most in the world.

She moved aside, leting him enter her chambers.

"Go." He said, smiling at the girl, coughing slightly due to his condition.

Ever since she attained adulthood, he had helped her escape into the forest, using the hidden route only he knew of. In order to be her substitute, he would wait in her room, in case anyone ever came to look. Rukia jumped out into the darkness from the window at the back of her room, ready to head into the wilderness.

"Rukia!" Ukitake whispered, drawing her attention to him. She raised an eyebrow in question.

Ukitake put his hand out of the window, handing something over to her. She looked at his hand, in which was a black netted veil.

She sighed, grabbing it ,putting it on and covering her face. Smiling at him one last time, she walked into the forest.

Rukia walked ahead, her footsteps soft and low. Nobody ever came here, she was told. Nobody ever took this path since it was dangerous and opened in the middle of the city.

She loved the mixing fragrances that surrounded her, the path created by the trees almost guiding her to her desired destination.

The dark haired girl stopped walking, having reached where she wished to be. In front of her was a large lake, it's waters shining in the moonlight, giving it the appearance of a vast constellation. The trees bordering it were at a distance, making it look like a stage with the trees as an audience. But what made Rukia come here again and again was another reason altogether.

Standing alone across the lake, was the last remaining Sakura tree that was now bare, since fall had just passed.

Rukia shut her eyes, the memories that pulled her here playing in her mind.

* * *

_"Do you want to hear that song?"_

Rukia nodded her head. She tried so hard to hear, but the memory faded away. There no longer was any woman holding her. Instead, there was a body.

An unmoving one.

"Wake up!" The little girl said, shaking the body. "You were supposed to tell me another story, weren't you?"

Ukitake pulled the girl away, hugging her, softly patting her head.

She had cried into his arms that day, reality hitting her for the second time in her life.

She had been alone since then, not even the company of her favorite commander soothing her shattered heart.

And one day, when Rukia had gotten lost in the large forest, scared and terrified, she had heard a soothing voice humming something.

That tune!

She raced to find the source, looking here and there, falling down, standing up, just chasing the sound.

It was that song!

She came back!

Rukia hid behind a tree, noticing someone standing across the large water body she saw.

And his song filled the air.

_Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,_

_That saved a wretch like me._

_I once was lost, but now I'm found,_

_Was blind, but now I see._

_T'was grace that taught my heart to fear,_

_And grace my fears relieved._

_How precious did that grace appear,_

_The hour I first believed._

The song was beautiful, the tune making Rukia close her eyes and sway along with it, but there was something else in it.

Unbearable pain.

Rukia slowly walked closer, moving from behind tree to tree, to take a closer look.

And when she was at the closest she could be, she looked up at the person and froze. There, touching the trunk of the beautiful Sakura tree, was the one person she had looked up to the most.

Kuchiki Byakuya, her elder brother.

He sang the words, his voice going lower and lower, until it ended in him choking.

Tears fell down his face, his eyes squeezed shut in pain. Soft sobs escaped from his half open mouth and along with it was one word.

"Hisana..."

Rukia slapped a hand over her mouth that was about to let out a surprised gasp.

Whenever Hisana had disappeared into the woods, Rukia had been curious to know where she went.

And now when she knew, she wished she didn't. That night, she had cried, realising that she was not the only one in pain.

Since then, Rukia sneaked out almost everyday to see if he was there, but he never came back.

He never returned to the place that held their memories.

But Rukia did. She swore she would never let their memories be forgotten, just like she had treasured her own.

So every night, once she grew up, Rukia would go there, singing the same song and the same lines over and over, tears dripping down her eyes in memory of the one person she loved the most.

Hisana.

* * *

And one night several months later, she went there as usual. It was a normal night,like any other, until suddenly she heard the trees rustle.

Rukia turned her head in the direction of the sound, seeing a man stumble out of the woods.

She was about to run away, when she noticed him fall downwards. Running to where he was, she rolled him over, resting his head on her lap. His eyes seemed to be half open, but it didn't look like the surrounding conditions were registering in his brain.

She went to the lake and with her hands, carefully took some water, walking over to him and pouring it slowly into his mouth. Though most of it fell out, the few drops that went down his throat bettered his condition, seeing as he visibly relaxed.

He looked exhausted and malnourished. She rested her head on his forehead, checking for a fever. It didn't seem so.

Rukia slipped her hands through his bright orange hair, her fingers entangling in a few of the free strands. His eyes fluttered a little and then, just stopped moving.

He looked so calm, like the waves of the sea during a low tide with a long face, and beautifully shaped eyes, almost like they were carved by a sculptor.

_Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,_

_That saved a wretch like me._

She sang, softly caressing his hair.

_I once was lost, but now I am found,_

_Was blind, but now I see._

_She_ felt him move a bit, squeezing his eyes in visible pain. She softly blew on his face, watching as he calmed down.

_T'was grace that taught my heart to fear,_

_And grace my fears relieved,_

_How precious did that grace appear,_

_The hour I first believed._

She sang, holding his head over her lap on place.

He mumbled undistinguishable words and she simply smiled.

"Name..." he said, cracking open his eyes slightly. She looked up at the sky. It was soon to be day break. She looked at the boy,before leaving him leaning against the tree trunk, the fruits she has picked kept next to him.

"Name..." he called out again.

 _Probably a lost villager_ , she thought, smiling at him one last time, before disappearing across the lake.

Little did she know, that soon there was to be a massive change in her life, soon a person would be more important to her than anything she had ever known.

And soon, the person that was to come, like a storm in her life, wrecking havoc, but leaving a new foundation to build, would be this very man.

And that day was nearer than she could have ever imagined.


	3. A lot of firsts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Prior Warning : This chapter is really long.)

**Chapter 3 : A lot of firsts**

_That's one hell of a house_ , Ichigo thought to himself.

After four months of a tiresome journey, he had somehow reached his destination. Ichigo looked around him in awe. The village he hailed from wasn't even half as big as this one house seemed to be.

He walked on the seemingly endless carpet of grass, unable to see any humans for as far as his eyes could reach.

And then he heard one.

"Okay, now put your leg up like this!"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. He followed the voice of the person- man,to be more specific- who seemed to be giving instructions of some sort.

"Now, your hands!"

In front of him was a person, a good 6 feet tall with salmon - or to be brutally honest - hot pink coloured hair. The boy, who had never really liked his striking orange hair himself, now suddenly felt very proud.

At least he was a carrot top, and not a rose bush.

But what made Ichigo stare at the man wasn't the colour of his hair, nor was it his strangely hoarse voice, it was his...well, position.

He stood tall, his arms parallel to his head, joined above it and his right leg raised slightly off the ground. He maintained his balance flawlessly, distributing his body weight on the large surface of his feet. All of this in front of a dozen gaping children.

The man turned to look at Ichigo, having sensed someone watching him.

"What are you staring at?" He asked, rather rudely for someone in a noble house, not that the boy cared. He was more comfortable that way anyway.

"Nothing really," Ichigo said, scratching the back of his neck. "Just wondering if you know how ridiculous you look right now."

The boy could see the change of colour in the man's face, from his natural wheatish complexion to an alarming shade of red. "What did you say?!" He yelled out, the pitch of his voice spiking high enough to tear the boy's eardrums.

Somehow, in their short meeting, this person reminded Ichigo of his father - which by the way- was absolutely not a compliment.

"Look at the kid's faces... That should tell you better." The man looked down quizzically at the bunch of kids who were all desperately trying to hold back their giggles.

And failing at it.

And he had wasted his time trying to help them too!

The children scurried away, having been found out, leaving an annoyed senior swearing revenge.

But right now, he had something more important to deal with.

"So," he said, turning to take a good look at the strange guest in the house, his tone more serious.

"What are you doing here?"

It was rather rare for him to see an outsider waltzing into the house of nobility.

"Work." Ichigo answered in monotone. He needed to conserve energy.

"Well," the man said, massaging his aching temples with one hand. He had always prefered to avoid contact with people if not necessary, since to him, striking a conversation was too much of a pain.

"Next time, come through the main gate." Ichigo tilted his head to one side in evident confusion.

"This isn't the main gate?"

The man stayed silent for a whole minute, staring at the boy. He then slowly turned his head in the direction of the massive structure behind him and Ichigo followed his gaze. Not one opening, not one door was in sight.

They were at the back of the house.

He turned to look at Ichigo, who rubbed the back of his head in embarrassement.

"Does it look like it?"

He let out an awkward laugh.

Sighing audibly, the man turned around in the direction of the house.

"Follow me." He said, before proceeding to walk on ahead with the stranger following shortly.

Ichigo stood at the front of the house, gaping at the large mansion, towering over him as if attempting to intimidate him. The cream coloured structure shined as the sun beat down on it, causing him to have to squint. Uniquely twisted fencing kept the house enclosed, neatly trimmed hedges surrounded the house. The roof was peaked, slanting down at an angle and the windows had a royal feel to it.

As he stepped past the wild grassy ground onto the soft bed of soil,he noticed a marble fountain sitting to his right side. A sculpture of a woman holding a flower was perched on top, looking up towards the sky. Water spurted from its other hand, which lay gently out in front of it, as if waiting for someone to take it in return. The water fell gently towards the crystal blue pool beneath it, causing ripples to form and wave out until they were no more.

The main axis of the house seemed to split, radiating into five different directions, wooden ledges leading to what Ichigo guessed was the main hall.

"Do you have a staring problem?" The man who still hadn't introduced himself said standing next to him, his hands folded over his chest. It was only then that Ichigo noticed that he was carrying a sword on the waist belt of what seemed to be training attire.

And the only people who were allowed to carry weapons were...

"Are you a samurai?"

Scrunching up his nose in annoyance, the man looked at Ichigo.

_He'd only just realised?_ "Damn right I am!" He answered, tapping the holder of the sword.

Opening his bag, Ichigo took out the scroll he'd been handed out by the Daimyo. Maybe this man would know something about it.

His eyes widened at the sight of the scroll. He snatched it from Ichigo's hands and ran his fingers over the strange seal on it.

"This is..."

"That fat old man gave it to me before sending me on this cursed journey. " Ichigo said, shaking his head in annoyance.

That idiotic haggard.

Ichigo turned to look at the man in front of him, who only kept staring at the scroll.

"Oi!" He said, waving his hand in front of the Samurai's face. He snapped out of his thoughts, seemingly still in a daze. Grabbing the younger boy's hand, he climbed up the ledge and walked straight ahead, which just went to show how well he knew this house.

After quite a while of dragging a displeased Ichigo, he finally stopped in front of a room .

"Wait here." He said walking into the room and shutting the door behind him without even excusing himself, leaving a very perplexed guest alone.

"Commander Ukitake!"

The man looked up from the scrolls he was reading at the perturbed man.

"What is it, Lieutenant Abarai ? Why the abnormal rush?" He said, quietly rolling the scrolls and placing them into a cylindrical container.

The ex commander's calm temperament never failed to surprise the captain. Looking at his usually sweet attitude, nobody would believe how strong a warrior he really was.

To be honest, nobody would believe he could even swat a fly.

"Look at this!" He said, thrusting the scroll in his senior's face.

After a second of analyzing what it was he looked up at his junior. "Help has arrived?" He asked, walking out of the room.

Ichigo who had been waiting there for a good 5 minutes now turned to face the commander.

"Oh, is this him?"

The boy glared at the lieutenant, standing behind this other person and simply looked away.

"Yes."

Ukitake went ahead and shook hands with a flabbergasted Ichigo, who just remained silent.

"I'm Jushiro Ukitake, an ex commander and current teacher to newbie samurais!" The excited beautiful person in front of him smiled from ear to ear .

Ichigo took in the older man's form, his wide shoulders seemed heavy with burdens of many lives and the scar on his left hand only further proved it.

"Which rank of a samurai are you?"

The question hung in the air as Ichigo stupidly stared at the two men.

"Samurais have ranks?" He asked, looking in between the two men.

There was a whole minute of silence.

Ukitake blinked and Captain Abarai scoffed.

"I see you haven't been told anything about...anything." the older man said breaking the awkward silence.

Ichigo pointed at the scroll in the captain's hand.

"All I was given was this scroll. I wasn't told anything apart from the fact that I had to become a samurai."

Ukitake took the scroll in his hand.

"Oh dear...Yes, that would explain the lack of weapons." Ichigo shrugged, pulling the bag on his shoulders higher up. It wasn't as if he enjoyed being pushed around.

Ukitake unrolled the scroll to have a look at what it said. When he did read it however, it became almost impossible to mask his shock.

The captain, who was watching him in silence, now peeked at what was written. And boy was he surprised!

Both of them looked up at Ichigo at the same time astounded at what it said.

"How can this be?" The captain exclaimed, the older long haired man in front of him just looked half frozen. Ichigo snatched the scroll from his hands and looked down at it. There, in clear words was written:

**_Kurosaki Ichigo_ **

**_Rank: Major General_ **

Ichigo blinked in disbelief. Huh?

Wasn't that a very high rank?

"How can someone that knows nothing about Samurais be given such a high rank?"

Ukitake looked up at fuming captain, clearly not understanding very much himself.

"There's only one way to figure out..."

Apparently realising what the ex commander meant, the captain spun on his heels motioning Ichigo to follow him wherever it was he was headed to.

Great! More walking, Ichigo thought to himself.

Just when he thought he could rest.

After skipping about four rooms, he stopped in front of one and pulled the door open.

It was a tiny 10 by 10 cubicle which seemed to be really dusty, judging by the smell in the air and not to mention, really really dark.

That was ofcourse, until the lanterns were lit.

Reflecting the light from all the corners and against every wall of the room were different shapes and sizes of weapons.

"Oi,you damned shopkeeper! Maintain this place for God's sake!" Screamed the displeased captain. Every time he came here,he swore, this room was a mess.

Ichigo turned his head in all directions, looking around for anything slightly...well, human in the room.

The only thing he could hear was...silence.

But that didn't last long, when the ground under Ichigo's feet began to wobble, as if something was trapped and trying to escape.

Ichigo moved two steps back, eyeing the floor cautiously.

And just as he thought, something did come out. Except it wasn't even half of what the boy had expected.

From underneath the floorboard a strange structure could be seen, jade in colour with stripes.

And then a hand followed.

"If it isn't Lietenant Abarai!" Emerging from what looked like a basement now completely coming into view was a man, the jade structure being the hat that sat on top of his head, strands of dirty blonde hair peeking from under it.

He looked at Ichigo,raising his eyebrow ever so slightly. "How rare of you to bring a guest!" His cheery voice echoed in the soulless room.

Urahara Keisuke, one of the best warriors of his time, he now lived a peaceful retired life satisfied with his tiny job as a shopkeeper. He was a shrewd man, no matter how nice he looked and most of the people knew better than to go to him for just browsing items. You'd definitely end up spending your coins on a pile of garbage that you never would really use.

But then again, he was good businessman and most of the times, he got the work done.

The lietenant looked over his shoulders at the boy who's eyes moved from one article to another, like a butterfly deciding which flower to sit on.

"Take your pick." He said, moving aside to let the boy have a better view of everything that the shop had to offer. Ichigo walked to the centre of the room in a daze, skimming over the variety of ammunition. At his silence, the commander continued to explain.

"Samurai's of higher rank are allowed to carry two swords,one long and one short,so hurry up and -"

"I don't need two." Ichigo replied, who had been staring only at a particular corner of the room for a while now.

Walking over to the exact place, he stopped at a foots distance from his choice.

Ichigo ran his fingers over the smooth surface of the blade that was probsbly made from a metal that he hadn't even heard of before. It was giant,matching his height. But what made it stand out to the boy out of all the other swords in the room was it's unique shape. It resembled a kitchen knife, with a very sharp tip and a very wide curved body. It almost seemed to him as if it was calling to him,as if it asked to be held.

And Ichigo obliged.

Grabbing it by it's handle, since it strangely had no hilt, he hoisted it off the ground and in front of him. It was on the heavier side, the grip a little weak.

But it suited ichigo just right.

"I'll have this one." He said, turning to look at the two men in the room.

The lieutenant snickered. Anyone who knew even the basics of sword fighting knew better than to pick up a fancy looking sword. The points taken into consideration while choosing should be height, weight and girth, all of which this strange sword seemed to defy.

While the captain was basking in his superiority, Urahara watched the boy with a keen eye. For anyone to choose a sword without a hilt was rare, since it could not facilitate easy wielding in most situations. And choosing only one sword in itself was a huge risk, given in a situation where you're surrounded, you can barely protect yourself. He had only ever had one other customer ever choose that alternative.

_Interesting_ , he thought as he moved aside, watching to boy leave through the door.

_Very very interesting._

* * *

After exiting the storehouse, since calling it anything better did not make sense to him, Ichigo met the ex commander, who gazed at the sword.

"That is quite the choice of weaponry." He said, catching a glimpse of the large sword that covered his back and was now covered in a roll of cloth.

"There's no need to waste time in pleasantries, commander," the lieutenant said, stepping down from the wooden floor onto the soil below.

"Let's get started."

Ichigo looked from the smirking lieutenant to the worried ex commander.

"Exactly what are we doing?"

The lieutenant wielded his sword.

"You're going to fight me, ofcourse."

Ichigo blinked in confusion.

Fight him?

"What? Why?! Why should I have to fight you?!" Ichigo said, pointing to the man in front of him.

"Besides, you're a damn lieutenant!"

"Yes,I am," the man replied, spinning the weapon in his hand with the hilt.

"And you're supposedly a major general."

Ichigo opened his mouth to say something and realising that he had no say to defy this person, he shut it.

He stepped down to where the man was standing and with the handle of his sword, he pulled it to his front.

Sweat covered his brow, his heart beating in nervous energy. What if it was just a slip up by the Daimyo?

If he died here, Ichigo swore he'd haunt that bastard all his life, which would be over.

But well, that wasn't really important.

"Take your stance." The lieutenant said, watching Ichigo struggle to even retain his balance.

_Full of openings_ , he thought, analysing his opponent with professionalism.

For someone like him, who had been working so hard to become a samurai all his life, meeting someone who couldn't care less about being one was an insult.

And he didn't like it one bit.

"Come." He raised his sword in front of him, to defend himself from any attacks.

"You come," Ichigo said, keeping his cool even as his legs trembled.

"You're the one who challenged me."

And that's all it took to send the samurai into a fit of insane rage.

He attacked the boy with unmatchable speed, as if ready to send him flying across the globe.

But Ichigo wasn't one to lose. He parried the attack successfully, and with all the force his muscles could build up, he pushed the man off of him, swinging his sword as hard as he could.

Before he could lose his footing, the lieutenant jumped back, landing a good metre away from the sweating boy.

Ichigo breathed heavily, his muscles already tensing up. Every part of his body shuddered, feeling the force of the attack.

_Good reflexes_ , the lieutenant concluded, _but terrible control on his sword._

He charged once again, this time hitting the boy in the places he could not defend. The sword he held was only good at long range, while at a short distance, he was sure to lose.

The lieutenant overpowered Ichigo, who stumbled a few steps back, the spot where he had been hit now spilling blood. It stung, like a million needles had just pierced his belly. Simultaneously.

The lieutenant smirked. There was no way this boy could even lay a finger on him.

Injure him a little bit, and send him back, that's what he was determined to do.

Ichigo's vision began to blur, as he staggered, losing his ability to stand straight.

It was painful, really really painful.

But then why was he so excited?

He felt an adrenaline rush, every cell in his body vibrating, as though they had lived for the first time.

He was enjoying this.

Without him realising it, his face broke out into a smile.

The lieutenant's breath hitched and a chill ran down his spine. What was that expression?

He charged at Ichigo, tearing up more and more of his skin, until he could barely see any part of his body that wasn't painted red.

Yet, he didn't budge.

The lieutenant had never seen a newbie with such determination. He had always considered himself to be the only one who worked his hardest to win.

Looking at the boy, who was bleeding profusely, he was reminded of himself, who lost again and again to the one person he kept challenging.

"Analysing your opponent is the key to winning," he said, looking away from the boy for a second.

"If you don't understand your opponents weakness, you'll never be able to beat him."

He wouldn't give his opponent time to think, ofcourse, so he charged to the boy who just stood there, unmoving.

It was the end, the lieutenant told himself. He'd pierce the sword a little away from the centre of Ichigo's body, just to throw out the fact that he'd die if he would not have gone easy on him.

However, he failed to notice the devilish smile that now sat on the boy's face.

Thrusting the sword with all his might, the lieutenant pushed it into his opponent, putting an end to his trials.

However, instead of falling down once the sword had ripped his abdomen apart, he held it inside of him with his hand, now looking into the lieutenant's eyes.

The man froze. Those eyes did not speak fear as the lieutenant had expected. It said, no, it screamed confidence.

His grip on the blade tightening, Ichigo held the sword in place, piercing his body, it's tip still inside. The lieutenant who by now seemed to be loosing his calm, struggled to pull the sword away in vain.

"You're wrong, lieutenant," Ichigo said, an insane smile accompanying his strong words.

"I don't need to analyse you at all."

The lieutenant never thought he'd be in such a fix. To be pushed around like so by a newbie?

His ego would never allow it. He'd have to use it. With one hand holding his long sword, he put his hand on the other, ready to pull it out.

Which didn't happen .

Ichigo used his the hand that had held his sword that now fell to the floor to hold the lieutenant's hand on his short sword down , restricting him from pulling it out.

"I just need to find your blindspot."

Eyes wide in fear, he pulled the sword out, pushing on the ground below him and jumping two feet away from the seemingly insane man.

What was happening?

There was no way, he thought, every nerve of his body awake in alarm. There was no way this boy could have sensed his shortcoming.

Ichigo flexed his neck muscles, blood trickling down his face. Bending down, he picked up his fallen sword.

"You assumed that I wouldn't be able to carry this heavy a sword with one hand, so in close range, my defense would be weak. But you couldn't be more wrong." He couldn't muster any words to counter his thinking.

He was right, completely right.

Ichigo tossed his sword from one hand to the other with ease. "I don't need two hands to hold this."

The lieutenant's hands shook in surprise. How?

"Your own backup is your second sword, that you wouldn't take out unless you were in a dire situation. So I figured, if I surprise you a little bit, you'd have no choice but to reach for it. "

Everything had worked out the say this boy had planned. Even though he was more cut up, more bruised, how was he winning?

"Now then," he said, taking his sword and raising his arm away from his body, in a position ready to charge. His eyes turned dark, his smile morphing into one of undefeatable seriousness.

"Let me give you everything I have."

The lieutenant had but a second to act, somehow managing to block the force of the large sword in between the two of his own. The force pushed the lieutenant back, who looked plain horrified.

Without prior warning of any sort, Ichigo pushed the man with a clean strike of his sword and charged once again.

The lieutenant, who still hadn't had time to regain his balance and had lost his other sword that fell a few feet away, raised the remaining one in a weak attempt to defend himself with one hand.

Ichigo was ready, putting all the strength left in him into this one attack.

The senior shut his eyes in despair. He would rather die by this one blade than live in the shame of being beaten by some damn villager.

But nothing happened.

He cracked open his eyes, only to see the former commander standing before him, one hand down by his side and the other, stopping Ichigo's blade.

He had stopped the force of a blade with his bare hand.

Ichigo stumbled back, the sword falling out of his hand and himself falling on the floor. He had used up way too much energy.

"That was more than enough." Ukitake said, looking at both the incapacitated men before him.

"That was too much force, lieutenant," he said sternly to his junior who simply looked at the ground.

"As for you," he said, now turning to Ichigo who wiped the blood dripping down the side of his face.

"You're not here to kill your allies."

He was right though, Ichigo thought to himself. He had gone too far.

"Abarai Renji." Ichigo looked up at the lieutenant, who got up on his feet and offered a hand to Ichigo, who had been a worthy opponent.

Ichigo accepted it and the man pulled him up. He shook his hand, smiling at the man before him who had fought brilliantly.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ukitake looked in between the two men and sighed.

So it was true, Ichigo thought to himself.

Men really did talk fists.

Well, in their case, swords.

* * *

After fixing up his messed up state and soaking in a quick bath, Ichigo was headed somewhere that the two men would be taking him.

"This house, as you must have heard is one of the top in everything, from army to economy." Ukitake started explaining to Ichigo who was analysing the wierd robe he was given. Apparently this was what Samurais wore.

"The main reason we're so perfect is because the head of our family manages everything efficiently. " He said proudly." Even every grain of rice is chosen meticulously."

Ichigo nodded in awe. How much ever he had seen of the house, it really was pretty damn perfect. But he couldn't be one to judge ofcourse, since he hadn't really seen any other houses himself.

"So, where is this 'meticulous and perfect' head of the family?" He asked, adjusting the part of the cloth around his neck.

"That's exactly whom we're going to see now." Renji said, a strange ring to his voice.

He sounded...annoyed?

"Who's the new person with you, commander?" A voice came from somewhere behind them. Ichigo turned and looked around, unable to see anyone.

"Ah! Here you are! We were just heading to meet you!" Ukitake said, his normally calm voice now extremely cheery.

"Kurosaki Ichigo,"he said, resting his hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"Meet the head of the family, the one I was telling you about!"

Ichigo looked left and right, still not understanding where this amazing personality he spoke of was at.

"Where do you think you're looking?" He heard. Ichigo looked down in front of him. There was a person standing, one eyebrow raised and an annoyed expression on their face.

"Who's this?" Ichigo asked, pointing down at him.

"What are you saying? This is the person I've been telling you about!" Ukitake said in surprise. Renji sweat dropped. He didn't blame Ichigo for not understanding, he hadn't either when he first came here.

"This is the head of the Kuchiki Clan!"

A soft breeze blew, taking away the words and replacing it with a momentary silence, while also blowing away every expectation of the brilliant head that Ichigo had.

"THIS MIDGET?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go! Im sorry for the delay, I'm currently juggling 3 other fics, quite literally like a clown. I'm sorry this was long and well, no romance. Like I had already warned, I did not just want to write a boring romance fic and so these chapters are necessary to set the mood. The more you long for romance, the better it is when you get it. Ofcourse, we never got it in bleach *buries self* But don't you worry! I'm gonna give you a ton of romance! I hope you liked it and keep reading.
> 
> Don't forget to review. I love y'all!


	4. Commencement

Ichigo's words hung in the air, as every bird flying in the blue sky refrained from making any sound whatsoever. You could hardly blame them, for the air was full of a dangerous scent.

A murderous one to be more exact.

Renji pinched Ichigo from behind him, making funny facial expressions to indicate to him that the subject he had breached was one he should not have.

The boy, however remained completely oblivious.

"How can this midget be the head of a house? He doesn't even look like he can carry a scroll!" he said pointing at the young lord in front of him, his eyebrows twitching.

Ichigo had a milisecond to register what was happening as he watched the petit person before him whip his leg in the air in one swift motion, his foot now a mere centimeter from Ichigo's face.

Rukia did seem too tiny for her rank, but that did not mean she hadn't earned it by proving herself. And she did not take lightly to anyone thinking otherwise.

"If you ever repeat that word in front of me,I will make sure the insides of your head paint the walls. Am I understood ?" she said, in a rather threatening tone, her eyes narrowing into thin slits.

Ichigo nodded as best as he could, her thin toes like knives to his throat. What other choice did he have?

Accepting his nod as a sign of agreement, Rukia brought her leg down, straightening her messed up robe, that was about the same pattern as theirs, only a bit more sharp.

Ukitake coughed audibly in an attempt to draw attention to more important matters.

"Young Lord," he said, bowing to her in respect,as if denying the fact that they were close at all. In a way it did annoy him, but it was what she had asked of him and he had long since known that he knew not how to refuse her.

"This is the help that has arrived from the North." Ukitake pointed, beckoning Ichigo to step forward. For the first time in that day, Rukia really looked at Ichigo, taking in his appearance.

He was a good two heads taller than her, with strong muscular arms that were hiddeb under his garb and a lean body. His brown eyes peered at her questioningly and his hair, spiky, sticking out from all sides,as messy as could be. But there was one thing out of all that struck her.

It was orange.

Her eyes wide in shock, the reality of the moment now dawned on Rukia.

This was the same boy.

Ichigo realised her look of surprise and he himself couldn't shake off the feeling that he had seen this person somewhere before. But he had never been this far from his home, then where?

As fast as her reaction came, with the same speed, it disappeared.

"Oh?" She said, her eyes now on Commander Ukitake. "So, for what were you coming to me? Aren't you supposed to follow the normal procedures?" She asked, her usual serious demeanor back in place.

"Well, you see," Ukitake began, his brow now covered in perspiration. Convincing Rukia was one of the- if not "the" - most difficult jobs and because he was of the highest rank and had known her best since she was a child, he had been given the job.

"We received another one of these."

He now stepped forward, handing out a scroll to Rukia. She met his eyes for a second, as if asking him what the contents were. He didn't reply, simply looking away. Rukia untied the tiny ribbon that sealed it and pulled it open, holding it between her two hands to see what it said.

All three men watched in silence, one of them clueless to the matter at hand, another half aware and the last, clenching his fists.

Rukia scanned the reading over four times and the now impatient new recruit tapped his foot on the wooden floor in annoyance. Why did he have to be here?

"I see," Rukia said, rolling it back and handing it to the commander.

"So you want me to take him with me."

"Precisely." Ukitake replied, joining his hands in concern. "I cannot accompany you due to my declining health and I will never know peace if I let you go all by yourself."

Rukia stood in silence for a minute and then sighed. "And what beautiful bond of trust you have built in half a day worth of conversing I cannot fathom." She said, rolling the scroll again and looking in between the two of them.

"Ofcourse, I won't send you alone with him!" He said, offended by her accusations. He motioned to the lieutenant, who's jaw dropped in surprise. "I'll assign this duty to the lieutenant so he shall accompany you as well."

"Excuse me, commander," Renji began, looking at Ukitake with wide eyes. "I am a lieutenant, not an escort!" He hadn't worked so hard to earn his rank only to follow this soulless person around, after all.

"Yes,I'm fully aware of that. " Ukitake said in a stern voice. "But the entire point of our armed forces would be nullified if we let our leader walk into the lion's den!"

Renji's lips pursed into a thin line, his dissatisfaction apparent in his behavior. Ichigo on the other hand, scratched his head in confusion not understanding a single bit of their conversation.

"Excuse me," he said interrupting their exchange of words. "What is all this about exactly ?"

Ukitake now turned his attention to the young boy. He put his hand on Ichigo's shoulder and smiled at him.

"Your first assignment."

* * *

"What is commander thinking?!" Renji screamed for the umpteenth time, banging his clay plate on the tiny stool placed on the floor. In just half a day of having known this man, Ichigo could discern that he talked nineteen to the dozen.

He sighed, quietly chewing the bread that was provided to him. The food was surprisingly delicious and given that it was for the workers, it was pretty damn good. To think that some little brat is the reason behind this, he thought to himself, eyeing the piece of bread as if it were poison.

"Are you listening to me, Kurosaki Ichigo?" The boy rolled his eyes in frustration, looking up at his red faced colleague. "I hardly think I can miss it. You've been repeating the same thing again and again." He replied, biting into tiny piece of ohagi that had been served to him as desert. "But it's not fair!"

 _And here we go again._ _Ichigo_ shook his head in frustration.

To him, it hardly mattered what he was to do, since he had no choice anyway. And he had no reason to complain,he was getting good food and shelter and his rank was something he didn't seem to care about.

"Now care to explain what this matter your fussing over is about? What is this escorting mission?" Renji put down his cup of tea, and sighed. Explaining was not his forté and he'd done more than enough of his whole life's share since dawn.

Seems like it still wasn't over for him.

"Recently, in the past few weeks or so, we've been receiving constant threats from someone." He said, tracing the rim of the saucer on which his cup sat.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Threats? Of what sort?"

"Well, that's the problem, you see, they're completely obscure." The younger boy nodded his head in understanding. He had heard of this being quite a usual occurrence with the nobility.

"The readings I haven't seen myself, but they seem to be really strange threats that only high ranking officials like the commander and myself are aware of. And in order to defend himself and his family from any harm, the young lord wishes to request assistance from some of our allies."

"Other noble families?" Ichigo asked, sipping his tea.

"No. There would be no worse humiliation than asking help from someone your own rank." Every word that Ichigo heard reminded him why he loved his silent family life back in his hometown, but then again, he no longer had a choice.

"They are other distinguished families, with strong warriors and due to the amount of help that our leader has provided to them, they are indebted to him."

 _A favour does work both ways after all_ , Ichigo thought.

"But there is a likelihood that someone might attack him on his way," Renji said, his hands resting on the table.

"So his advisors wish for someone to accompany him given the fact that no one has ever reported to have seen him fight."

Ichigo understood the matter. The leader may be pretty amazing at economics and other businesses,but he could not protect himself. And why would he need to anyway? After all, he had a massive army of soldiers under his command.

So the proposal seemed agreeable to Ichigo; protecting weak people was his duty not only as a samurai, but as a man too.

* * *

It was already late evening by the time the two men walked to their quarters from the common hall.

They were headed away from the path through which he had come. The forest was as dark and gloomy as Ichigo remembered it and his mind wandered back to the previous night.

He glanced at his new acquaintance.

"Hey Renji," Ichigo said, calling him by his name for the first time, not that Lieutenant minded.

"Have you ever seen a woman in that forest?" He said. Renji stared at Ichigo, his eyes as wide as a saucer.

"I wouldn't know," he said, shrugging at the boy's question. " Nobody ever goes there."

"Why?" Ichigo asked in surprise. No wonder it seemed so gloomy.

"A folk tale says," he began narrating and Ichigo paid attention in silence. "That a woman from this house had died."

_Died?_

"But due to a certain attachment to that place, she stills roams there, every night, singing songs in a language we don't understand."

Ichigo struck a look of disbelief at which Renji chuckled. Putting his hand around Ichigo's shoulder, he whispered , "Why, have you seen her?"

Ichigo was now at a loss for words.

"I'm not so sure anymore..." he replied, still lost in his thoughts.

* * *

Ichigo lied down on the tatami matted floor next to Renji, his hands cushioning his head and his eyes sealed shut to the outside world. No, he thought to himself. She wasn't a ghost, after all ghosts certainly can't pick fruits or touch humans like she had done him.

He propped himself up on his elbows and looked out the low window. It was a silent moonlit night, the stars twinkling in the sky like small lanterns.

The reality of the woman he'd seen, he wanted to know. And being Ichigo, he did just that.

Rukia walked through the woods, her soft footfalls, the only sound in the darkness. Offcourse, the silence wasn't unwelcome, she enjoyed it more than she should have. From afar,she could see the lake in all its glory, shining as though it had swallowed the moon itself.

She stood admiring it, her hands folded neatly in front of her by her waist, but her mind seemed to be completely elsewhere.

Her encounter with that person, had it been fate?

He was perhaps the first person to have seen her hidden self apart from the people who already knew and she couldn't help but think that it would lead to a terrible outcome.

Or a brilliant one.

Did he remember? Did he remember seeing her?

Rukia hummed the tune in silence, singing to the trees, the wind, the water, the Earth. Small ripples formed in the lake making a soft sound, as if encouraging her to continue. Rukia didn't however, as she soon realised something.

"Etiquette demands you make your presence known," she said, her eyes shut and a small smile adorning her face. Her voice was mature and sweet, like nectar to a butterfly.

"It's hardly good manners to watch a woman without her consent."

There was no reply for a while, and Rukia stayed quiet. She knew someone was there.

"I don't understand the nobility's way of living." A voice came from behind. Ichigo sat, unmoving from his position behind the tree, with his back leaning against it and him facing away from her.

 _It's him again_ , Rukia thought to herself, smiling.

"Why do you simply assume I belong to nobility?" She asked, sounding amused.

"Those robes don't look like something a commoner would wear." Came his reply. It was the first time in her life that she had had a normal conversation with a stranger as herself.

"You may be right." Rukia voiced, looking down at her clothes. It was her last link to Hisana, she used to wear it when she was alive.

Ichigo hoisted himself off the ground, now standing up to look at the woman.

Raven locks cascaded down her back highlighting her thin and tiny frame. He couldn't see her face however; it seemed to be covered by a veil.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice as low as could be.

"Trying to find out if you're a ghost." He replied and Rukia let out a small laugh.

"And what do you conclude?" She asked glancing at him, his face looked sharp, his chiseled jaw reflecting the moonlight.

"Definitely not a ghost. Are you the one who made those rumors up?"

Rukia shook her head in denial.

"People spread them on their own. But perhaps I did ignite the spark." Her childish giggle reached Ichigo's ears as she motioned to her body.

"Are you from the Kuchiki Clan? " He went ahead and asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. After all, she was standing on their property.

Rukia looked up at the moonlit sky, breathing in the fragrance the air provided.

"I am not." She replied, an unbearable pain in her voice.

_She seems to be suffering._

"I was disowned by my own father and the family at birth." Ichigo's eyes widened.

_A parent had disowned their child?_

"I-I'm sorry.." he whispered sadly. The boy didn't really understand how to console someone so there was an awkward silence for a while. After a minute or so ,looking up at her, he asked,

"But why?"

Rukia clenched her waist belt, memories of her entire life flooding her the pain, all the suffering, all of boiled down to just one thing, one reason, one fault.

"Because I was born a female."

Ichigo gasped in shock.

Just that? That was the reason she was shunned by her own family?

_How disgusting._

"And nobody stood by you? Nobody tried to help you?"

"Nobody knew," the dark haired girl said, as crickets sang, bringing the forest to life.

"I never even existed to begin with. I'm just a ghost, a folk tale as people say. And it's better this way."

If life had been cruel to Ichigo, it had been a hundred times worse to her.

"This place," she said, closing her eyes and feeling the wind tickle her skin.

"This is the only place I'm free; the only place I'm alive."

The orange haired boy didn't understand the significance behind her words, but Rukia hadn't lied one bit about anything.

She was shunned as a woman by her family, forever suffering, being forced to live as a man because they couldn't accept a female heading the family.

It truly was disgusting.

" So you keep coming here because..." he trailed off, awaiting her answer.

"Memories."

Ichigo simply nodded his head. He understood what she wanted to convey.

_Don't tell anyone about this place._

Rukia took two steps away from the lake and for the first time, turned around to face Ichigo, a breeze blew by as if trying to kiss the silence away.

Ichigo watched the woman, her hair blowing in the wind and her head bent low, as if avoiding eye contact with him, even through the veil.

She looked so serene.

"That song.." he said, still captivated by her beauty.

"It's also a memory from a long time ago that I treasure." She said to him.

"Someday I'll tell you the story." Rukia looked up at the sky, the shades changing from a dark black to blush red.

"It's beginning to get late now. I must take my leave." Saying so, she took two steps to her side, vanishing into the massive jungle.

"Goodbye stranger." were the last words Ichigo had heard from her.

"Wait!" he screamed, trying to follow the woman, but alas, by the time he reached, she had disappeared, almost as if the forest had engulfed her; her and her entire existence.

He didn't understand, he didn't understand anything at all, but he swore to remember her.

Even if to the world she didn't exist, he had seen her and he had spoken to her. He'd keep coming to see her, meet her, not leave her alone.

He didn't know why he didn't just leave it alone, but he couldn't.

"Goodbye." He said one last time, before walking back to the house.

Rukia, sat above the tree watching Ichigo in silence, a smile decorating her beautiful features.

"Kurosaki Ichigo.." she thought to herself, now looking at the moon.

It really was a beautiful night.

* * *

At the break of dawn, Renji had shaken him awake, and the boy who had been tossing and turning for the next half hour or so thanks to lack of sleep, finally woke up.

After a quick wash, he walked out to see Renji all dressed and ready.

"Hurry up Ichigo," he said, adjusting his belt so his sword hung comfortably. "We have to leave."

Ichigo mumbled something along the lines of 'yeah,yeah' before heading back into his room.

Picking up his sword, he used a sling provided to him by the sandal-hat shopkeeper - since he couldn't remember his name - to carry it on his back.

Stepping out once more into the daylight, he walked over to where Renji was giving instructions to the men that seemed to be under him.

"Are the two of you ready?" A voice came from behind them. They turned around to see the Young Lord, followed by commander Ukitake walk up to them. Rukia carried a small satchel, dressed in her usual clothes.

Renji and Ichigo looked at each other, nodding their head slightly, determination driving their movements.

"Yes." They answered in unison.

"Then let's depart immediately." Rukia said, walking ahead of them to the gate.

"Umm, how exactly are we going?" Ichigo questioned. Both Renji and Rukia looked at him as if he had just asked something completely unbelievable.

Which he had.

"What do you mean **how**?" Rukia said, walking to where three horses stood, bending down the minute Rukia touched their heads.

"By horseback, ofcourse!"

Ichigo gulped. He had never really ridden a horse before. Well, he hadn't really fought or gone on a mission before either, but well, he'd learn.

Stepping up in front of the three horses, Ichigo lifted his hand to pet them. Two of them simply began trembling, as though scared.

"You sure have a scary face," Rukia said, holding back her laugh. "Even animals are scared of you."

He ignored her comment, watching as the third stepped forward, nudging it's nose on Ichigo's hand.

"He seems to like you," Renji said, going to where his horse was."But better be careful though, he's really violent."

Ichigo nodded and felt the soft skin of the was beautiful, pure white in colour; an elegant stallion. It seemed to enjoy his attention and Ichigo loved giving it.

He climbed atop of it, and grasped the reigns in his hand.

Rukia watched the boy in silence, admiring how soon he had formed a bond with his horse.

Maybe that was his skill, she thought to herself. Forming bonds with people faster than anybody else.

Ichigo looked down at her from his horse. "Do you need help getting on top?" He asked, offering his hand to her.

She glared at him, taking it as a comment on her height and climbing on her horse with ease. Ichigo simply retracted his hand with a sigh.

The young lord didn't seem to like him.

All the while, Renji simply stiffled his laughter.

Rukia straightened herself on her horse, positioning herself properly.

"This journey isn't going to be fun, or an easy one at all," Rukia said, her voice more stern than usual.

"You might even end up dying. Do you think you're ready for this?"

Renji nodded and Ichigo inhaled deeply.

"I don't really understand much yet, but let's do it anyway!" He said and the others nodded.

This was how he was, the thought to themselves.

Impulsive and courageous, and it suited them just fine.

Rukia glanced at Ukitake who looked troubled, yet lesser than before. Apparently Ichigo was good for his heart.

"Take care." He said to them and stepping aside, he cleared the path for them.

"Hyaah!" Rukia yelled out, pulling the reigns on her horse. The animal rose on two feet with a loud neigh and then pushed off the ground, moving forwards. The two men behind her followed suit, kicking off the ground and out of their safety zone.

Out there, in the world were dangerous enemies that were waiting to kill them. There were dangers they couldn't even think of in their wildest dreams.

So their journey commenced, a place where they'd build new friendships, learn to trust and overcome as many hurdles as life would put before them.

Many difficulties lay in the path ahead of them, the road winds as it pleases to, but they had a silent promise they made to each other. They wouldn't fall down or give up, they'd raise their heads, do nothing but look ahead and keep running forwards!


End file.
